Self-structuring antenna systems are already known. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,175,723 B1 issued to Edward Joseph Rothwell, III, Jan. 16, 2001, discloses a self-structuring antenna system with a switchable antenna array. The antenna array comprises a plurality of antenna elements that are selectively electrically connectable to each other by a series of switch elements so that the physical shape of the antenna array can be altered. The antenna elements include wires, whereby the wires of adjacent antenna elements are connected by a mechanical or solid state switch element. One or more feed points are electrically connected to predetermined locations within the antenna array and to a receiver associated with the antenna array. A feed back signal from the receiver provides an indication of signal reception and antenna performance. The feed back signal is applied to a computer that selectively opens and closes the switch elements. An algorithm is used to program the computer so that the opening and closing of the switch elements attempts to achieve antenna optimization and performance.
A drawback of the self-structuring antenna systems disclosed in the Rothwell III '723 patent is the necessity of including several electric or optic cables to control the switch elements at the junctions of the antenna elements.